Easts Too Strong For Miners

5/12/2008

East Hull claimed their first NCL title with an emphatic win over Leigh Miners Rangers at Featherstone's Chris Moyles Stadium.

The 2008 NCL Grand Final hung in the balance at the break, with Easts in front by 10-6, but when half-back Yeaman scored within minutes of the restart Miners were looking at an uphill battle.

But Miners had started the better team with Ridyard and Sarsfield commanding the midfield and varying the play between the forwards and the outside backs. They scored first with try-machine John Woods going in  after 18 minutes, and the signs looked ominous for Easts.

However they responded on the half-hour with Martin Johnson chipping through to collect and score in the corner, and when outstanding winger Shaun Painter oustsprinted the Miners cover defence minutes later, it was clear that Miners' weren't going to have it all their own way.

Yeaman's try just after the break put some daylight between the two teams, and when Ridyard scored on the hour, it only seemed like a consolation, such was the domination of the Easts pack at that point.

Johnson scored again for Easts on the final whistle, but the game had been over long before that, and Easts coach Lee Radford had masterminded an oustanding title win.

In the final Division One game of the season Thatto Heath Crusaders defeated Wath brow Hornets to clinch the final promotion spot.